ISTRO CTF Working Group What has happened Has

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ISTRO CTF Working Group What has happened? Has anything changed? Where do we go

ISTRO CTF Working Group What has happened? Has anything changed? Where do we go from here? Perhaps Nowhere!

What has happened? Extensive Research in USA, EU, Australia Draft* Summary of Wheel Effects

What has happened? Extensive Research in USA, EU, Australia Draft* Summary of Wheel Effects on: • • • Soil Strength/Tillage Energy Conductivity/Biological Activity Crop Yield. *Current version: Includes many inconsistencies, Illegitimate averaging (k. N/tool and L/ha, infiltration and ksat etc). No weighting of years x sites

Traffic Treatments - Means Years x Sites Axle Weight t Tyre Pressure k. Pa

Traffic Treatments - Means Years x Sites Axle Weight t Tyre Pressure k. Pa US* EU 28 39 7. 04 3. 90 145 131 Austr. 58 5. 67 94 4. 78 125 Overall * Voorhees Zero = < 4. 5 t What is our “Control?

Soil Strength/Tillage Energy Mean Ratio : CTF/Wheeled US EU Austr. Overall Soil Strength 0.

Soil Strength/Tillage Energy Mean Ratio : CTF/Wheeled US EU Austr. Overall Soil Strength 0. 61 0. 96 0. 48 0. 68 Tillage Energy 0. 88 0. 73 0. 56 0. 70

Hydrology/Biology Mean Ratio : CTF/Wheeled Hydraulic Conductivity Biological Activity US 1. 20 0. 94

Hydrology/Biology Mean Ratio : CTF/Wheeled Hydraulic Conductivity Biological Activity US 1. 20 0. 94 EU 1. 36 1. 37 Austr 3. 79 3. 84 Overall 1. 81 2. 16

Production Mean Ratio : CTF/Wheeled Crop Yield US 1. 02 EU 1. 10 Austr

Production Mean Ratio : CTF/Wheeled Crop Yield US 1. 02 EU 1. 10 Austr 1. 19 Overall 1. 10 System Effects Generally Not Assessed

Outcomes Soil Strength and Tillage Energy, Hydraulic Conductivity/Soil Biology. } Consistently } Positive Effects

Outcomes Soil Strength and Tillage Energy, Hydraulic Conductivity/Soil Biology. } Consistently } Positive Effects Variability partly due to methodological differences? Small yield effect where crop is well-supplied with water/nutrients Largest effects in Australia - water- limited cropping - greater system emphasis* * Most comparisons between CTF ZT and Wheeled Tilled Soil

Reflections 1 System advantages rarely assessed • Trafficability, Timeliness. • Improved Tilth, Evenness, Uniformity

Reflections 1 System advantages rarely assessed • Trafficability, Timeliness. • Improved Tilth, Evenness, Uniformity • Zero or Reduced Tillage Potential. Difficult to Quantify, but Vitally Important Challenge #1 – We don’t have the data

Reflections 2 Current System Attitudes Accepted • Impractical, too difficult. • Equipment change not

Reflections 2 Current System Attitudes Accepted • Impractical, too difficult. • Equipment change not possible. • Land wasted in laneways Challenge #2 – do we believe this?

What has Changed • Environmental Focus Replacing production focus Opportunity#1 • Guidance Is getting

What has Changed • Environmental Focus Replacing production focus Opportunity#1 • Guidance Is getting better/cheaper Opportunity#2 • Widespread Acceptance in Australia Ordinary farmers find it easier* Opportunity#3 *Principle of Reduced/Zero Tillage Widely Accepted. Erosion Hazard. No Mouldboard Ploughs. Less Residue Problems (soil warming, etc)

What Do We Need to Do? Long-term assessment of system Environmental/Social/Productivity Benefits To achieve

What Do We Need to Do? Long-term assessment of system Environmental/Social/Productivity Benefits To achieve this we must: • Convince ourselves • Convince our colleagues • Back up the pioneer farmers • Encourage industry interest • Shake the environmental money tree